Tailstock center lubricator



Aug. 31 i926. 1,598,134

J. J. HARTEN ET AL TILSTOCK CENTER LUBRICATOR Filed OG.. 24, 1924 Patented Aug. 31, 1926.

UNITED sra'rns 1,598,134 Parana orifice.

JOHN J. HARTEN, HARTFORD, .AND MALCOLM I-I. AMES, -OF WEST HAR'IFOIRD,V

CONNECTICUT, .ASSEGNORS TO PRATT @c VTHTTNEY CMPANY, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y., .A COBPORATTON OF NEW JERSEY.

TAILSTOCK CENTER LUBRTCATCR.

Application lcd October 24, 1924:. Serial No. 745,628.

rlhis invention relates to lathes and particularly to a lathe of the automatic type in which blanks are automatically fed to a supporting and rotating position and operated upon by a suitable cutting tool.

More particularly, the present invention relates to a means for supplying lubricant to the tailstocl; center and which is adapted to be actuated with each movement of the tailstock spindle into its operative position` Another object of the present invention is to provide automatic means adapted to actuate a small pump mounted on a fixed part of the automatic lathe and adapted to force a small quantity of lubricant directly to the l center supporting one end of the work being operated upon.

@ne feature which enables us to accomplish the above named object is that we mount a container for the lubricant upon the lathe and in its lower portion provide a pump, the plunger of which is actuated in timed relation to the movements of the tailstoclr spindle and preferably by lever controlling movements of the tailstock spindle. lith each movement of the plunger a small amount of lubricant is admitted to the tailstoclr center through a suitable flexible conduit.

Another feature which is advantageous is that we actuate the pump plunger by means of a supplementary lever actuated by the cam and lever by means of which movements of the tailstock spindle are controlled.

With these and other objects in view, our invention consists in the features of construction and operation set forth in the following specification and illustrated in they accompanying drawing.

In the accompanying drawing annexed hereto and forming a pgart of this specification, we have shown our invention embodied in a special form of automatic lathe but it will be understood that the invention can be otherwise embodied and that the drawing is not to be construed as defining or limiting the scope of the invention, the claims appended to this specification being relied upon for that purpose.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a port-ion of an automatic lathe having my present invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view upon an enlarged scale of the conduits for admitting the lubricant to the tailstock center.

Fig. 3 is a detail view of the tailstock center shown in section to show the oil admitting conduits, and

Fig. a is a section upon an enlarged scale of the pump.

In the above mentioned drawing, we have shown but one embodiment of the invention which is new deemed preferablebut it is to be understood that changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of `the invention.

Briefly, and in its broadest aspect, our invention consists in the following principal parts: first, an automatic lathe having t-ailstoel; actuating` mechanism operated by a suitable cam mounted upon a main cam shaft; second, a lubricant container having a pump mounted preferably in its lower portion; third, a pump plunger actuated by a lever connected to and operated by the tailstock operating cam; fourth, a fiexible conduit extending from the lubricant pump to the tailstock center; and fifth, passages in said center to permit the lubricant tobe conveyed to the work bearing portion of the Center.

Referring more in detail to the figures of the drawing, we provide upon the-base or bed 10 of an automatic lathe a lubricant container 11 preferably permanently bolted directly to a surface upon the upper and rear portions of the bed. Tithin this lubricant container 11 is provided a pump having a pump plunger 12 actuated axially by 'ya suitable lever 13. In order to actuate this lever 13 in timed relation to the movement of the tailstoclr spindle 14 and other automatically actuated mechanisms on the machine, we attach the lever 13 to an oscillating shaft 15 having an arm 16 extending downwardly to engage one of the cams on a main cam shaft 17. Preferably, and Aas shown in the drawing, this cam shaft 17 y is provided at one end with -a wheel 18 having cam strips 19 attached to its periphery. These cam strips 19 are adapted to oscillate the depending arm 16 and therefore oscillate the short traverse shaft 15 connected to the pump operating plunger 12. As 'the pump plunger l2 is adapted t0 force lubricant to the tailsteclr 28 with. each movement ot its spindle V111, ive make use of the same cam to operate the lubricant pump plunger 12 as is used to actuate the tailstocl; spindle 1li. From the above it Will be seen that With tivo opposedcain strips as shown the lever 16 and consequently the plunger 12 Will be moved forward and backward during each rotation of the shaft 17, and simultaneously With movements of the spindle 14.

The lubricant pump above referred to comprises a 'bushing 20'i'nto Which the pump plunger 12 ent-ers and, in order to provide a pump of simple' design, the plunger 12 is provided With a reduced portion '21 Which .passes entirely through the pump ybushing 20. By means ot a packing gland 22 this sliding joint may be maintained pressure tight. Also the pu'mp plunger 12 is provided with an intermediate reduced portion 22 which at each reciprocation of the pump plunger 12 moves 'from a point outside the pump bushing 2O to the position Within shown in full lines. It will be seen therefore that with each movement of the pump plunger 12 rtoward the left, lubricant will cir-ter the space Within the pump bushing and'that, as soon as the intermediate reduced portion '23 ot the pump plunger 12 enters the bushing 20, Athis oil will be 'forced' outwardly through the conduit '24 `as shown. 1n order to prevent retrograde movement 'of the oil Within the body 'of the pump on the movement of the vplunger 12 'to the left, a check valve 25 is provided in the form of a spring pressedball. Y yConnected directlyto the Adischarge conduit 2li: of the pump is a flexible conduit 26 extendingk to -a fixture 27 secured 'to a part of the tail stockI center 28. Thisv fixture 27 is provided with a passage 29 extendingV therethrough Which 'admits 'the vlubricant to the axis of thetailstock center 28 through a suitable passage 80 joining Vthat Within Vthe 'fixture 27. Extending laxially Within the center 28 is a suitably bored vpassage 31,

suitably plugged at vits outer end and lprovided with a branch conduit 32 permitting the lubricant to pass through the center 28 and laterally outward.` A'channelir 'groove 33 provided in the periphery of the center permits the lubricant to pass to the Work engaging surface of the center. From this point the lubricant spreads down over the conical point ofthe center 28 so that this surface will be fully Ylubricated each time a Work piece is mounted thereon and the tailsto'ckfspindle -moved to operative position.

What- We claim is:

1. A 'lubricant supplying means for the tailstock center of an automatic lathe coinprising in combination, a lubricant container, a pump associated therewith, a pumjp plunzger therein, :a con-duit, from said pump t'o the eenfter on a '-t'ai-lstoclr spindle, a main cam slia'ft, actuating means thereon forv said tailsttoel; spindle, vand supplementary means movable with s'aifd actuating -means *for lsaid spindle to reciprocate said pump plunger.

v2. A lubricant supplying rmeans for the tail'stecli center oifan automatic lat-lie coinlprising yin combination, a lubricant container adapted te be sec'ured- `to a fixed `portion of the lat-lie, a pump associated therewith, a

pump plunger therein, a conduit from said pump to said tai'lstock center, a main cain shalt, actuatingnieans thereon vfor said tailstock spindle, and supplementary means movable With said actuatingfnieans for said s'pin'dleto reciprocate said pump plunger to advance lubricant 'to said 'tailstock [center 'simultaneously with movement 'of said cenf'ter into 'operative position.

3. A lubricant supplying means for the vtafilst'ocl center off an automatic lathe coniprising in combination, a lubricant con- Vtainer, a Vpump associated therewith, a pump plunger therein, a flexible conduit from said -p'uinp to the taiflstoc'k center on a tailstocl spindle, a Vmain, cam shaft, cam actuating means 'thereon 'itorsaid tailstock spindle, an oscillatory lever attached ,to said plunger, and fmeans I'nova'b'le simultaneoi'isly with said actuating means for said tailstock :to oscil ylate said lever and reciprocate said pump plunger. p

In testimony whereof, We 'hereto 'affix our `signatures.

` JOHN J. HARTEN.

MALCOLM H. AMES. 

